Morgan Rogers' Golden Spell Propels Villa's Surprising Title Charge

Just 60 days prior that the young forward was standing on the Sunderland turf, appearing bewildered while the Villa manager scolded him for not reading a through-ball. During that period, as the club went six without a win, the question was whether his displays were a symptom or a cause for Villa's wider issues.

On Sunday, though, the sideline response proved to be much more joyous. As the in-form star swept in his second to restore Villa's lead, Emery tore off his jacket, threw his arms wide and roared. The team continued to ten wins in a row , despite not winning their opening six games, are somehow a mere three points behind table-toppers Arsenal.

Is Aston Villa Genuine Challengers?

It remains a rather hard proposition to address. Past precedent, the traditional standing of Villa, suggests not. Moreover, they have not been completely commanding in many games, while the victories have stacked up.

According to the data, twice all season has the side posted an xG significantly higher than their opponents. For a side who have strung together a ten-match winning streak, Villa look strangely fragile – but right now the margins are falling their way.

The Rogers Recipe

The prevailing tactic appears to be to engage in a shootout with the opposition and wait for their star man to bail them out with some crisp finishes. It happened away to Leeds, it happened in London, and again when facing Manchester United.

Rogers' first goal came from a brilliant finish, curled right inside the goal frame from a wide position. His brace-completing goal proved to be a somewhat messier replica of goal number one as he seized on a pass from Watkins.

How Long Can This Continue?

Logic says not. In the recent win, the opposition managed a greater number of attempts and more direct attempts. Villa have secured their last eight victories by just one goal. The defence has been breached in nearly all of those fixtures.

A reversion to average could be the greatest opponent Villa must confront in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, will not continue to blasting the ball past despairing goalkeepers indefinitely.

Potential for Growth

Maybe there exists a different scenario where, instead of results trending towards performances, the team's displays improve to justify the wins. Important figures might still rediscover their best form.

• The main striker might resume scoring again.
• Jadon Sancho might become the performer he was at Borussia Dortmund.
• Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres will eventually return from injury, strengthening an occasionally vulnerable defensive unit.

Perhaps there is in that the seeds for a sustained push, however, it is improbable can continue to depend solely on a single individual.

Enjoying the Ride

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought Villa would be in the top three for the holidays. And certainly back in October, few could imagine Rogers as the year closed would be spearheading a hunt for the title while establishing himself as a crucial Three Lions star.

The current run is to be savoured precisely because it seems so surreal. When the hero faced the North End when the game ended orchestrating the applause, he seemed to be relishing every moment. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.